This invention relates generally to illuminated graphics systems, and more particularly concerns such systems using an electroluminescent lamp.
Electroluminescent lamps are in general well known. Historically, however, such lamps were limited in their application because of small size, the requirement of expensive, unreliable and bulky power supplies, and a relatively short life. New developments, however, have resulted in high quality lamps which are produced in panel-like rolls 36 inches wide and up to 1200 feet long. The desired length of a lamp for a particular application may be conveniently cut from such a roll. The rolled lamp is quite thin, as is typical with electroluminescent lamps, on the order of 0.040 inches. The useful life of these newer lamps is now quite long, up to 9000 hours in maximum cases, although a more reasonable expectation is 6000 hours. The newer electroluminescent lamp is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,755, among others.
Electroluminescent lamps have and are being used for illumination for various applications, including movie theater aisle lighting as well as in other retail environments, including arcades, amusement parks and restaurants. The lamps are also used for illumination of specific small, confined areas, such as the interiors of appliances, and the interiors of vehicles such as trucks, buses and trains.
Further, it is known that electroluminescent lamps can be used to make illuminated signage, in which printed graphics on optically clear overlaying material is applied to the lamp. In this arrangement, the original lamp is trimmed to the desired final size of the sign. The images are then applied to phosphor material by cold mounting. The combination of the image material and the phosphor is then placed onto the lamp and laminated to it, either by a cold or hot roll process. The laminated image on the lamp is then trimmed, leaving a frame of laminate around the graphic image. Current signage applications, however, have several disadvantages, including expense and cumbersome connections between the power supply and the lamp structure. Also, changing the lamp itself typically requires changing the entire graphics assembly.
In addition, the blue color of the electroluminescent lamps tends to result in somewhat unnatural illuminated colors when the conventional the graphic image/phosphor lamination process is used. Color matching to produce natural, accurate colors using electroluminescent lamps would be desirable.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is an electroluminescent graphics display system, which comprises: an electroluminescent lamp which has an illuminating assembly and a connector portion which includes electrical contacts for connection to a source of electrical signals which illuminate the lamp, the lamp being adapted to receive a graphics portion so as to produce an illuminated image when the lamp is illuminated; and a base assembly, which includes a socket member which is adapted to receive and release the connector portion of the lamp, wherein the socket member has electrically conductive elements which are spaced such that they contact the electrical contacts on the connector portion when the lamp is correctly inserted into the base member, wherein the base member includes a source of electrical signals for illumination of the lamp, the electrical signals being transmitted through the electrically conducting elements in the base assembly to the electrical contacts on the connector portion for illumination of the lamp.
Another aspect of the invention is an electroluminescent lamp for a graphics display system, comprising: an electroluminescent lamp, the lamp having an illuminating assembly therein and a connector portion which includes electrical contacts for connection to a source of electrical power to illuminate the lamp, and a graphics portion thereon to produce an image when the lamp is illuminated, wherein the electroluminescent lamp, the graphics portion and the connector portion form a unitary integral unit for convenient insertion and removal from a base assembly, which includes connections to a source of electrical power.
A still further aspect of the invention is an electroluminescent lamp which is useful in a graphics display assembly, which comprises: an electroluminescent lamp member, which produces a salmon pink color; a: combination of a green filter member, a white layer member and a substrate layer, positioned outboard of an interior surface of the lamp, wherein the white layer is positioned outboard of the green filter; and a graphics image, outboard of the green filter member, the white layer and the substrate layer, wherein the images produced when the lamp is illuminated are characterized by natural colors and a realistic appearance.